Thread: Help with code dealing with parallel arrays.

Hey I need some help with the code! specifically with the perimeter and area methods.

I am not sure how to implement them or what code i need o fill in.
For the perimeter I think I need to go from each point in the array to calculate the perimeter
but i am not sure how to do that.
I am thinking I need a loop so that it will add each point in the array.

For the area there is a formula for the area of a polygon. Correct me if I am wrong.
I am not sure what to do for the area method.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

/** * Polygon1 models a polygon with parallel arrays. */ public class Polygon1 { private double[] x; private double[] y;   // construct the polygon public Polygon1( double[] x, double[] y ) { this.x = new double[ x.length ]; this.y = new double[ y.length ]; // assumes x.length == y.length, could be a problem for( int i = 0 ; i < x.length; i++ ) { this.x[i] = x[i]; this.y[i] = y[i]; } }   /** * calculates the distance between point at index i * and the point at index j. * * [ Why is this method private? ] * * @return distance between points */ private double distance( int i, int j ) { return Math.hypot( x[i] - x[j], y[i] - y[j] ); }   public double perimeter() {   }   public double area() {   }   public static void main( String[] args ) { double sq_x[] = { 0.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.0 }; double sq_y[] = { 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0 };   Polygon1 sq = new Polygon1( sq_x, sq_y ); System.out.println( "square perimeter: " + sq.perimeter() ); System.out.println( "square area: " + sq.area() ); System.out.println();   double rect_x[] = { 0.0, 2.0, 2.0, 0.0 }; double rect_y[] = { 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0 };   Polygon1 rect = new Polygon1( rect_x, rect_y ); System.out.println( "rectangle perimeter: " + rect.perimeter() ); System.out.println( "rectangle area: " + rect.area() ); System.out.println();   // same rectangle as about, but with extra points double rect1_x[] = { 0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 2.0, 1.0, 0.0 }; double rect1_y[] = { 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0 };   Polygon1 rect1 = new Polygon1( rect1_x, rect1_y ); System.out.println( "rectangle perimeter: " + rect1.perimeter() ); System.out.println( "rectangle area: " + rect1.area() ); System.out.println();   // lshape polygon double lshape_x[] = { 0.0, 2.0, 2.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.0 }; double lshape_y[] = { 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0, 2.0, 2.0 };   Polygon1 lshape = new Polygon1( lshape_x, lshape_y ); System.out.println( "lshape perimeter: " + lshape.perimeter() ); System.out.println( "lshape area: " + lshape.area() ); System.out.println();   double rt_x[] = { 0.0, 1.0, 0.0 }; double rt_y[] = { 0.0, 0.0, 1.0 };   Polygon1 rt = new Polygon1( rt_x, rt_y ); System.out.println( "rt perimeter: " + rt.perimeter() ); System.out.println( "rt area: " + rt.area() ); System.out.println();   // regular hexagon final double a = 0.5; final double b = Math.sqrt( 1.0 - (0.5*0.5) ); double hex_x[] = { 1.0, a, -a, -1.0, -a, a}; double hex_y[] = { 0.0, b, b, 0.0, -b, -b};   Polygon1 hex = new Polygon1( hex_x, hex_y ); System.out.println( "hex perimeter: " + hex.perimeter() ); System.out.println( "hex area: " + hex.area() );   } }

Is this an algorithm problem
or a coding problem (you have the algorithm and need help coding it)?

For algorithm help have you tried google?

need to go from each point in the array

Do you know how to index through an array? Or is there some other problem.

I think I just need to go from point to point. x[1] to x[2] using a loop i think. I don't know how to code it.
If there is an algorithm could you show that as well?

Thanks

You could use the index of a for loop to go from x[0] to x[1] etc
Go to this site and Find 'for statement': Trail: Learning the Java Language: Table of Contents (The Java™ Tutorials)

What is the problem you need an algorithm for?

I know how to do the for loop but there are both x and y values so I am a little
confused on how to code it. Could you provide an example?

by x and y i mean two separate arrays.

Using parallel arrays means the data in all the arrays at a certain index is related.
For your case of points on a 2Dim graph, one array has the x value and one array has the y value.
For the nth point say at index n, the point's x value is xVal[n] and its y value is yVal[n].